Nor'West News: December 03, 2020
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4 Thursday <strong>December</strong> 3 <strong>2020</strong><br />
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz<br />
NOR’WEST NEWS<br />
Controversial social housing complex opens next week<br />
• By Bea Gooding<br />
A NEW controversial social<br />
housing development on Guild<br />
St officially opens next week after<br />
months of concerns raised by<br />
nearby residents.<br />
The developments caused a stir<br />
in Richmond due to concerns the<br />
project did not comply with the<br />
city council’s special character<br />
area and earthworks rules.<br />
However, earlier this year, the<br />
Christchurch Methodist Mission<br />
and its developers told Pegasus<br />
Post that requirements for both<br />
were met.<br />
Owned by CMM, the housing<br />
will provide 15 families on the<br />
Ministry of Social Development’s<br />
housing register the security of a<br />
long-term lease and an affordable<br />
home.<br />
Mike Williams has lived on<br />
Guild St for 22 years and has had<br />
a front-row seat watching the<br />
developments unfold from across<br />
the street.<br />
He was feeling optimistic<br />
about the future in spite of earlier<br />
concerns that the temporary<br />
housing would increase traffic<br />
congestion, removed significant<br />
trees, and did not physically fit in<br />
with the rest of the houses in the<br />
area.<br />
The site is located in a character<br />
area, which meant residents<br />
spent thousands making sure the<br />
exterior of their homes complied<br />
with the rules that came with the<br />
classification.<br />
Said Williams: “I see a need<br />
for it. Life hasn’t gotten easier for<br />
those people so they will at least<br />
have some dignity with a roof<br />
over their head.<br />
“In some ways, it could’ve been<br />
handled better – we were just<br />
told what was happening without<br />
having a say. But we have to be<br />
realistic too, that land’s not going<br />
to stay vacant forever.<br />
“There’s no point in getting<br />
upset over something you can’t<br />
change. It all comes down to<br />
management now.”<br />
Christchurch East MP Poto<br />
Williams will open the complex<br />
next Friday in time for tenants to<br />
move in before Christmas.<br />
It sits on the former Churchill<br />
Courts site, on land leased by<br />
Anglican Care.<br />
The houses were used as<br />
temporary accommodation<br />
at Linwood Park before being<br />
moved to the site in August.<br />
CMM executive director Jill<br />
Hawkey said the development<br />
provides a unique opportunity<br />
for families to settle and feel<br />
secure, perhaps for the first time<br />
in their lives.<br />
“We’re really pleased to have<br />
COMPLETION: Controversial social housing on<br />
Guild St will open next week, just in time for<br />
families to move in later this month.<br />
PHOTOS: GEOFF SLOAN<br />
arrived at this point and look<br />
forward to welcoming families<br />
into their new homes in the<br />
coming days,” she said.<br />
An additional building will<br />
serve as a dedicated community<br />
house, from which a community<br />
worker will be permanently<br />
based.<br />
Demand for social housing<br />
in the city has increased from<br />
482 applicant households in<br />
June 2015 to 1,232 in June <strong>2020</strong>,<br />
according to Government figures.<br />
This 156 per cent increase in<br />
homelessness over the last five<br />
years indicates the scale of the<br />
problem and the urgent need<br />
for warm, affordable and secure<br />
housing for the city.<br />
Consent for the development<br />
was granted in March by the city<br />
council, which heard the views of<br />
nearby residents in reaching this<br />
decision. The site’s characteristics<br />
identified it as ideal for the<br />
relocatable houses, and for<br />
providing ample play space for<br />
the children of residents and offstreet<br />
parking.<br />
A large area in the north-east<br />
corner has been reserved for<br />
continued use by community<br />
gardening groups.<br />
The houses are away from<br />
boundaries and the road.<br />
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